Hot top



April 17, 1928.

E. J. TURNER HOT TOP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2 1926 April 17, 1928.

E. J. TURNER HOT TOP Filed March 2 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES ERNEST J. TURNER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

HOT TOP.

Application filed larch 2, 1926. Serial No. 81,788.

The present invention relates broadly to the art of metal founding, and more particular] to so-called hot tops or feeders for use wit standard ingotmolds to improve the character of the ingots formed therein.

At the resent time it is customary in the art .to which the present invention relates to utilize hot tops or feeders with ingot molds for the purpose of maintai ing a body of molten metal available for fee 'ng the shrinkage and thereby decrease segregation and piping. Actual experience has demonstrated the fact that hot tops applied to in ct molds insure the production of ingots ree from defects throughout substantially the entire len h of the ingot, the defects being limited to t e crop end of the ingot.

Hot tops are ordinarily constructed of refractory material, such as fire clay, slag, cinders or the like, although it has been pro posed to construct them of combustible or partly combustible or slow burnin materials, and such hot tops have actually been used. The present invention is adaptable to hot tops of any desired composition or construction having an desired type of supporting means, an whether coated with waterroofing or fusible com ounds or not, and w ether of cellular or solid nature.

The major portion of in ct molds in use today are of each size that ot tops can conveniently be constructed and shipped in one piece without undue expense. As the size of the ingot molds increases beyond a certain amount, the cost of manufacturing hot tops in one piece increases out of pro ortion to the increase in the size of the mo d, and the shipping of such hot tops without a high percentage of breakage becomes almost impossible.

Such large hot tops'are also difficult to handle and apply to the molds, and their manufacture requires a special die for each size whether the size represents a multiple of smaller standard sizes or not.

The present invention has for one of its objects the obviating for the difiiculties and ob ections referred to with respect to manufacture, cost, breakage and handling, and to provide units ada table for use as such on smaller ingot mol s, or adaptable for use in pairs on lar er ingot molds.

Another 0 ject. of the invention is to provide an improved unit structure of such nature that necessar strength is provided during shipment and handling, while permitting expeditious change in the number of side walls whereby pairin of the units to provide a large hot top aving an unobstructed pouring opening is made feasible.

In the accompanying drawings there are shown, for purposes of illustration only, certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, it being understood that the drawings do not define the limits of my in vention as changes in the construction and operation disclosed therein ma be made without departing either from t e s irit of the invention or the scope of my roader claims.

, In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of unit constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the unit shown in Fi Figure 3 1s a top plan view illustrating the contour of a mold cavity having a pair of units as shown in Figure 1 in operative position therein ready for the pour;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a slightly different embodiment of the invention; V

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a pair of units of special construction to permit interlocking or inter-engagement thereof, and

Fi re'6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing a slightly difierent form of the invention. p I p In carrying out the present invention there may be constructed a plurality of hollow units as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, each comprising side walls '3 and 4 of a contour, configuration and dimensions as required by a articular mold, it being understood that it is customary practice to so dimension the hot tops as to provide clearance between the walls thereof and the surface of the mold cavit and to so shape the same as to substantial y conform to the contour of the mold cavity.

The walls may be of any desired hei ht determined in known manner by the mo ds with which the are to be used and the walls 3 may eac be provided with suitable means 5 such as ribs, shoulders, projections or the like, adapted to cooperate with the upper end of an ingot mold to limit the extent of projection of the hot tops into the mold and efiect predeterminate position of the hot tops, as understood in the art. Preferably, the walls 4 are devoid of supporting means, although such means may be formed thereon if desired. The walls 4 are also conveniently formed with opposed grooves or scormgs 6 adjacent the plane of juncture of the walls 3 and 4, to a provide predetermined cleavage lines facilitating breaking out of the walls 4 should such action be desired, as hereinafter more fully pointed out.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that a hot top of the character described may be used in its entirety as a complete hot top. Assuming that the hot top has outside dimensions, not including the sup orting means, of 19 by 17 inches, it m1 t be used, for example, with an ingot m0 d having a cavity of approximately 20 by 18 inches.

It not infrequently happens, however, that it may be desired to use a hot top with a mold having a cavity of 41 by 18 inches.

Heretofore it has been customary to ;construct one piece hot tops of a size suitable for such molds, notwithstanding the difliculties and objections before referred to. In accordance with the present invention, the necessity of such a one piece construction is obviated without incurring any of the dilficulties which have been involved in the use of four or more slabs or sections as heretofore proposed and attem ted. In Figure 3 of the drawings there is s own the outline 7 of an ingot mold cavity having, for example, the approximate dimensions last given. The hot top for the mold is illustrated as comprising a air of units as shown in Figures 1 and 2, eac unit, however, having its wall 4 broken away to rovide an unobstructed pouring opemng or the molten metal. The ends of the side walls 3 abut along the lines 8 to prevent the escape of the molten metal, while the supporting means 5 maintains the U-shaped units in position.

It has been found in actual ractice that a multi or two-unit hot top 0 the nature described is extremely advantageous. The two units can be constructed at a cost a great deal less than the cost of a one piece 0t top, and they can be much more easily shipped and handled without nearly the percentage of breakage involved in one piece constructions. The cleavage lines enable accurate breakin as required without danger of breaking t e remainder of the hot top. Without the temporary reinforcing walls 4, shipping of the hot tops without breakage becomes almost impossible due to the amount of overhang of the sides without an strengthening or supporting means.

In igure 4 of the drawings there is illustrated a slightly different form of unit in which, however, parts corres nding to parts heretofore described are esigned by the same reference characters heretofore used but having a prime applied thereto. The wall-4 is shown as having not onl the scorings 6' located as before describe but also as having additional scorings 9 providing a cleavage line through an intermediate portion of the wall 4'. Such an arrangement has been found desirable with certain com positions, as well as with units of larger dimensions. The unit of Figure 4 may have outside dimensions, not includin' the supporting means 5', of approximateTy 26 .by 21 inches whereby it is adapted for use as shown with an ingot mold having a cavity of slightly larger size, or is adapted for use as one of two units in a mold having a cavity approximately 53 by 22 inches.

It Wlll be understood that in all cases the dimensions are illustrative only, and not definitely of limitations with respect either to unit sizes or mold sizes.

In some cases I have found it desirable to provide means on the ends of the side walls whereby units when used in airs may interlocked or inter-engaged a ong the ines of engagement. In F1 res 5 and 6 there are shown slightly modified embodimentsof the invention of such nature as to provide cooperation of the nature described. In Figure 5 the side walls are shown as having, respectively, a de ression 10 and a projection 11, whereby w en units of the same construction are reversed end for end, the projections will engage the depress ons to hold the assembled units against relative lateral movement. In Fi re 5 there are 11- lustrated two units of i entical construction reversed end for end and in adjacent positions.

If desired, the units me be of different constructions as illustrate in Figure 6, in which the unit A has projections 12 on the side walls, while the unit B has cooperating depressions 13. In the difl'erent figures the depressions and pro'eetions respectively, are illustratedas of di erent shapes, but it will be understood that any desired shape may be used with any desired unit, the drawings being illustrative only of an expeditious manner of preventing relative lateral movement of assembled units.

Certain advantages of the present invention arise from the provision of a hot tolp unit adaptable for. use as such, or adaptab e for use in airs with large "molds.

Other vanta es arise from the provision of a hot top unit avin one side of such construction as to permit lireaking away thereof at will, while effective for strengthening the unit when in osition therein.

Still further a vantages of the invention arise from the provision of a hot top of two U-shaped sections and from the provision of means preventing relative lateral movement of the assembled sections.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a hollow hot top having continuous sides with supporting means on some of its sides terminating above its lower edge, one of its sides being free of supporting means to permit two such hot tops to be placed in a mold with their adjacent sides in contact with each other;

2. As an article of manufacture, a hollow hot top having continuous sides with supporting means on some of its sides terminating above its lower edge, one of its sides being arranged to cooperate with a similar side of another hot top to form a hot top for a larger mold.

3. As an article of manufacture. a hollow hot top having continuous sides with supporting means on some of its sides terminating above its lower edge. one of its sides being arranged to cooperate with a similar side of another hot top to form a hot top for a larger mold, said side being constructed to facilitate removal thereof.

4. As an article of manufacture, a hollow hot top having continuous sides with supporting means on some of its sides terminating above its lower edge, one of its sides being arranged to cooperate and interlock with a similar side of another hot top to form a hot top for a larger mold.

5. As an article of manufacture, a hollow hot top having continuous sides with supporting means on some of its sides terminating above its lower edge, one of its sides being free of supporting means to permit two such hot tops to ,be placed in a mold with their adjacent sides in contact with each other. and interlocking means on the side free from supporting means arranged to cooperate with interlocking means on a similar side of another hot top when two hot tops are used in a single mold.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ERNEST J. TURNER.

GERTIFI GATE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,666, 759.

Granted April 17, 1928, to

ERNEST J. TURNER.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 68, for the word "designed" read "designated", and line 88, for the word "definitely" read "definitive"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of May, A. D. 1928.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

U-shaped sections and from the provision of means preventing relative lateral movement of the assembled sections.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a hollow hot top having continuous sides with supporting means on some of its sides terminating above its lower edge, one of its sides being free of supporting means to permit two such hot tops to be placed in a mold with their adjacent sides in contact with each other;

2. As an article of manufacture, a hollow hot top having continuous sides with supporting means on some of its sides terminating above its lower edge, one of its sides being arranged to cooperate with a similar side of another hot top to form a hot top for a larger mold.

3. As an article of manufacture. a hollow hot top having continuous sides with supporting means on some of its sides terminating above its lower edge. one of its sides being arranged to cooperate with a similar side of another hot top to form a hot top for a larger mold, said side being constructed to facilitate removal thereof.

4. As an article of manufacture, a hollow hot top having continuous sides with supporting means on some of its sides terminating above its lower edge, one of its sides being arranged to cooperate and interlock with a similar side of another hot top to form a hot top for a larger mold.

5. As an article of manufacture, a hollow hot top having continuous sides with supporting means on some of its sides terminating above its lower edge, one of its sides being free of supporting means to permit two such hot tops to ,be placed in a mold with their adjacent sides in contact with each other. and interlocking means on the side free from supporting means arranged to cooperate with interlocking means on a similar side of another hot top when two hot tops are used in a single mold.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ERNEST J. TURNER.

GERTIFI GATE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,666, 759.

Granted April 17, 1928, to

ERNEST J. TURNER.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 68, for the word "designed" read "designated", and line 88, for the word "definitely" read "definitive"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of May, A. D. 1928.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

